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  • COSMOAI Opens Flagship Store at Imperial Hotel Tokyo

    COSMOAI Opens Flagship Store at Imperial Hotel Tokyo

    Japanese skincare brand Cosmoai has opened its Tokyo flagship store at Imperial Hotel Tokyo. The new store covers an area of 59sqm and showcases the company’s signature products to business and mid- and upper-class customers. It is the second Cosmoai store in Japan following its first flagship store in Nagoya.

    Cosmoai’s CEO Takayuki Inoue said the store provides an opportunity to introduce Tokyo customers to premium product lines and enable them to try them out.

    Cosmoai specialises in skincare solutions and enabling anti-aging skin repair and revival. Coinciding with the new store is the launch of a new hair care product, 18-Hair Care EX, a pill taken orally that addresses the problem of hair loss and improves hair health.

    The company’s products are now available in Tokyo, Nagoya and Hong Kong and online.

  • Fung Retailing, Alibaba to collaborate bringing lifestyle brands into China

    Fung Retailing, Alibaba to collaborate bringing lifestyle brands into China

    Fung Retailing and Alibaba have formed a strategic partnership to launch more international lifestyle brands in Mainland China. The partnership will bring closer Alibaba’s 600-million user base and Fung Retailing’s 3000+ network of stores across Greater China, UK, France, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. Its partly- or majority-owned businesses include Circle K and Zoff (under Convenience Retail Asia), Trinity, Toys R Us, Suhyang Networks, the UCCAL Fashion Group and Branded Lifestyle Holdings.

    The Fung Retailing and Alibaba collaboration aims to meet the increasing demand of Chinese consumers, building on the strengths of both parties in online and offline retailing, the two companies said in a statement. At the same time, it will better serve global brands by leveraging Fung Retailing’s global portfolio of brands, offline retail channels and marketing know-how, as well as Alibaba’s ecosystem, digital retail leadership, technology, and consumer insights.

    “That will help global brands tailor their product development and marketing strategies to meet the ever-changing needs of Chinese consumers,” the statement said. “The brands can also draw on Alibaba’s new retail channels, including Tmall and Intime, as well as Fung Retailing’s offline stores, thereby reducing costs, risks, and the time traditionally associated with entering the China market.”

    Photo: At the Fung Retailing and Alibaba MOU signing ceremony this week, from left: Sabrina Fung, group MD of Fung Retailing, Dr Victor Fung, group chairman of the Fung Group; Daniel Zhang, CEO of Alibaba Group; and Toby Xu, VP of Alibaba Group.

    Under a memorandum of understanding signed this week, both companies will join forces in global brand recruitment and offer brands merchandising, marketing and omnichannel distribution services. This collaboration will focus on the mainland China market as a first step, and potentially expand to other regions riding on Alibaba’s platforms.

    Speaking during the signing ceremony in Shanghai, Alibaba CEO Daniel Zhang said Alibaba wants to help global brands expand their foothold in China by fully integrating its New Retail capabilities, big data and technology with Fung Retailing’s “unparalleled advantages in brand and supply chain resources”.

    “We believe this partnership represents the beginning of a new chapter for New Retail.”

    Fung Retailing’s group MD Sabrina Fung said retail is changing exponentially, so it’s important to stay ahead of the curve, which this agreement allows the company to do.

    “Through this exciting strategic partnership with Alibaba, we will help customers navigate the full Chinese retail economy and reach China’s 1.4 billion consumers more easily. In this evolving retail landscape, and faced with changing consumer behavior and disruptive retail technologies, we are focused on developing new ways to do business,” she said.

     

  • Versus to merge into Versace Jeans line

    Versus to merge into Versace Jeans line

    It has only been a month since Versace announced it was to be sold to Michael Kors’ parent company Capri Holdings for a reported sum of 2.12 billion dollars. As an early indicator of change, and perhaps cost-saving measures under its new structuring, Versace is to integrate its Versus line into Versace Jeans.

    Versace Chief Executive Jonathan Akeroyd said “During the last few months we have studied how to simplify our business model with a view to focusing on the portfolio of our brands, continuing to ensure innovation and relevance in everything we do. We decided to integrate our two contemporary collections into one, merging Versus and Versace Jeans. This operation will allow us to further develop Versace Jeans’ proposals and, at the same time, not to lose the DNA and the codes that have made this iconic Versus “.

    The collection was notably absent from the catwalk and fashion week after it decamped to London to show its autumn winter 2018 collection.

    The Versace Jeans label is currently under license to Swinger International, also the licensing partner to brands including Genny and Cavalli Class.

    The unexpected move by Versace is indicative of the transformations and shakeups happening in luxury brand’s diffusion ranges.

    Earlier this week Blufin announced the launch of the new Be Blumarine label that will replace Blugirl; Missoni recently reported Margherita Missoni as the new creative director of its M Missoni diffusion line; Marc Jacobs famously shuttered his Marc by Marc Jacobs stores, integrating the label under a single brand umbrella.

    Donatella Versace will reportedly continue to lead the creative vision for the Versace brand.

    At the time of the acquisition it was reported she would become a shareholder of Capri Holdings, along with her brother and daughter.

  • More Tokyo snack brands in Singapore

    More Tokyo snack brands in Singapore

    Two Tokyo snack brands are setting up shop in Singapore, one opening today and the other in eight days’ time.

    Established in 2013, The Maple Mania is ready to roll out the red carpet at Ion Orchard. It is known for its maple butter cookies, maple baumkuchen with a caramelised top, and maple financiers.

    With its iconic cow logo, Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory will follow with an outlet at Raffles City. The six-year-old brand is known for its cheese cookies – salt and camembert, honey and gorgonzola, and porcini and gouda. It also offers milk cheesecake, a strawberry milk roll plus its own Cow Cow Ice ice cream in two flavours and a sundae option.

    During the festive season, The Maple Mania will sell cookies from Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory as well. Both are sister brands of LeTao, which was brought to Ion Orchard last year by Alvin Ng, the founder of The Rosti Farm and Once Upon a Milkshake, both at Waterway Point in Punggol.

    From Hokkaido, LeTao is known for its double fromage, a two-layer cheesecake.

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  • Restaurant Brands quarterly sales up 41 per cent

    Restaurant Brands quarterly sales up 41 per cent

    Restaurant Brands New Zealand lifted second-quarter sales by 41 per cent after the fast-food operator expanded its footprint through Australia and Hawaii.

    Sales increased to $224.9 million in the 16 weeks ended September 11, from $159.5m in the equivalent period a year earlier, it said on Thursday.

    New Zealand sales rose 5.3 per cent to $130.6m, while Australian sales jumped 19 per cent to $42.2m and its Hawaiian operations added $52.1m. On a same-store basis, sales rose 6.7 per cent.

    New Zealand’s largest fast-food operator is expanding into new overseas markets to drive future earnings growth. In April 2016 it expanded into KFC in Australia and in March 2017 bought the largest fast-food operator in Hawaii.

    Chief executive Russel Creedy told shareholders at the annual meeting in June that the company was now “truly international” and expected sales this financial year to exceed $700m, up from $497.2m last year. Today’s release showed sales in the first half of the year were up 51 per cent to $386.1m.

    In New Zealand, the company’s 92 KFC stores lifted sales 8 per cent in the second quarter to $99.4m. Its 34 Pizza Hut stores increased sales 2.9 per cent to $13.2m.

    Sales at its 23 Starbucks Coffee stores dipped 6.4 per cent $7.3m and sales at 19 Carl’s Jr outlets fell 6.1 percent to $10.7m.

    In Australia, the company’s 47 KFC stores contributed $A39.2m ($NZ42.8 m) in sales during the second quarter, up 16 per cent from the year-earlier.

    Its Hawaiian-based operations include 37 Taco Bell and 45 Pizza Hut stores in Hawaii, Guam and Saipan acquired on March 7, 2017, which contributed $US38.1m ($NZ51.9 m) in the second quarter.

    The company’s shares advanced 0.5 per cent to $6.37.

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  • Luxury fashion brands start to sell on China’s WeChat messaging app

    Luxury fashion brands start to sell on China’s WeChat messaging app

    China’s Tencent Holdings Ltd. is using its vast social-media network to attract luxury-fashion brands to its WeChat app, potentially opening a new frontier in online retail.

    France’s Longchamp and the U.K.’s Burberry Group PLC have begun selling handbags and clothes on WeChat, China’s most popular messaging app. LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE’s Givenchy and Dior brands are testing demand for their goods through flash sales on the platform.

    The move signals a challenge to Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., the dominant player in e-commerce in China, where online transactions are expected to reach 6 trillion yuan ($870 billion) this year, according to consulting firm Bain & Co. Alibaba’s sites processed more than $547 billion in transactions in fiscal 2017, which analysts say is more than eBay Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. combined.

    While luxury sales on WeChat are in their infancy, Tencent’s courting of high-end fashion brands is part of a widening battle between China’s internet companies. Alibaba, Tencent and search engine Baidu Inc. are venturing beyond their traditional business lines into payments, social media and e-commerce.

    Upscale brands are rethinking their digital strategies amid a tough environment for luxury sales. Global sales of personal luxury goods were flat in 2016, at EUR239 billion ($267 billion), while global spending on luxury by Chinese consumers fell for the first time last year, according to Bain. Even so, luxury brands are seeing a pickup in mainland China as brands lower prices there and Beijing encourages consumption at home.

    In the U.S., a small number of luxury labels have tested sales on social media including chat apps. But Tencent in China is making inroads with luxury brands by taking advantage of the massive online ecosystem it has built around WeChat, whose more than 900 million users book movie tickets, hail rides, order laundry pickup and pay for utilities without leaving the app.

    The online sales are also fueling WeChat’s mobile wallet, WeChat Pay, against market leader Alipay, launched by Alibaba’s Ant Financial in 2009. Only WeChat Pay can be used on Tencent’s platform. As recently as 2014, Alipay commanded nearly 80% of China’s mobile payments market, but its share slipped to 54% by the first quarter of this year. Tencent’s payment system, including WeChat Pay, had 40% in the first quarter, according to research firm Analysys.

    Last year, Alibaba joined with Mei.com — which received a $100 million investment from Alibaba in 2015. The e-commerce giant is also relying on big data to clean up counterfeit goods listed on its platform. Alibaba is the “world’s leading fighter on counterfeits,” founder Jack Ma said last year.

    In the past year, Alibaba has reduced the number of third-party product listings of goods made by the top 10 luxury fashion brands by an average of 73%, according to L2 Inc., a digital consulting firm. Still, an average of 49,000 total product listings remained as of April on Alibaba’s Taobao site, a bazaar-like platform of small businesses and sellers.

    Affordable brands such as watchmaker Tag Heuer, jeweler Pandora and cosmetics companies have opened on Tmall, Alibaba’s platform for mostly large brands. But most luxury fashion brands remain wary of open platforms such as Alibaba and rival JD.com because they fear losing their aura of exclusivity, according to Danielle Bailey, head of research in Asia Pacific for L2. Burberry is an exception, opening a store on Tmall in 2014.

    Mr. Cassegrain, Longchamp’s CEO, said, though, that WeChat’s appeal is that it isn’t an open platform where luxury goods can be sold along with everyday products. Users must follow Longchamp’s account or scan a QR code to be taken into the brand’s site.

    Burberry, along with watch and jewelry brands Cie. Financière Richemont SA’s Cartier and IWC Schaffhausen, are among the few that have opened full stores on WeChat.

    Cartier advertises on WeChat’s news feed and sells on the platform because “China is one of the most digitalized markets in the world today, and Cartier has to adapt to it,” said Renaud Litre, chief executive of Cartier China.

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  • How brands use short videos for marketing in China

    How brands use short videos for marketing in China

    As the luxury industry discusses Snapchat’s marketing possibilities and, more recently, Instagram’s latest filter feature, brands looking toward the China market are facing a completely different short video industry. It’s one that has witnessed rapid development thanks to the popularity of smartphones and upgraded communication networks in China.

    In March this year, Kuaishou, a popular short video app, was on the receiving end of a US$350 million investment from Tencent, and Alibaba put RMB 2 billion toward the transformation of Tudou from a large, formerly popular online video platform to a short video community. Also, Yixia Technology, owner of Miaopai and Xiaokaxiu, both popular short video apps in China, has already spent RMB 2 billion to encourage short video content creators and producers by building several video creation bases and providing professional studios.

    Short videos are perfect for young, tech savvy consumers who take their phone with them everywhere and use it to access social media or to fill in short breaks in the day between other activities.

    But which short video apps are the most popular in China? Who are the viewers of these short videos? How can brands market to them? What should brands take into consideration when launching short video campaigns?

    China’s short video apps

    Similar to short video platforms like Viddy and Instagram, there are numerous short video platforms and apps in China where users can record real-time short videos and share them with friends. As for users, there were 153 million regularly watching China’s short videos in 2016. This is estimated to reach 242 million by 2017, an increase of 58.2 percent.

    CIWEEK, an internet content magazine, released a list of their top 10 short video apps in China in the first half year in 2016 and Kuaishou, Miaopai, and Meipai were the most popular.

    Of these, there are actually two types of short video platform in China:

    1. Comprehensive platforms: professional short video platforms

    These platforms, such as Meipai, Miaopai, and Xiaokaxiu, provide a one-stop user experience. Users can use various shooting tools, effect settings, and formats while filming or editing a video. They also offer a community for users to share their videos with friends. Short videos uploaded on those platforms can also be shared with WeChat friends, WeChat Moments, and Weibo.

    2. Content recommendation: news apps

    These platforms, such as Toutiao, NetEase, Tencent News, and Yidian Zixun, focus on suggesting popular or professional short videos. These platforms were originally news-based and mass communication oriented. They have millions of viewers and short videos recommended on these platforms can get huge amounts of traffic.

    Who are the viewers?
    The main users of China’s short video apps are young. Most of them belong to the post-90s generation. According to a report published in March 2017 by JIGUANG, a big data provider, users ages 16 to 25 make up 39.7 percent of the total, while users aged 26-35 are at 33.3 percent. Meanwhile, over half of the users are female, making them 69.4 percent of the total number of users.

    In terms of regions, 66.9 percent of the total come from third-tier and below third-tier cities in China. The top 3 provinces for viewer numbers are Guangdong, Henan, and Shandong.

    How are brands using short video?
    Short video is becoming a new favorite marketing tool for brands for several reasons. Short videos can be used for various types of promotional materials, such as product reviews, product seeding, promoting brand culture and more. With interesting and meaningful content, short videos can deliver specific brand messages to a target audience while avoiding the annoyance that longer videos may cause. The production cycle of short videos is quick with great flexibility, which works well with brands’ marketing plans and budgets. Through audience interactions with short videos, brands can better understand their preferences, rapidly improve their user experience, and come up with effective marketing plans quickly. Integrated campaigns launched on short video platforms can be creative and diverse.

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  • Supply chain group Tigers launches new e-shop marketplace supporting brands entering china

    Supply chain group Tigers launches new e-shop marketplace supporting brands entering china

    Supply chain group Tigers has launched a new marketplace, called eShop, to support brands entering the rapidly expanding China and Southeast Asia e-commerce markets.

    The digital marketplace, part of Tigers’ suite of e-commerce products, offers a one-stop shop solution, from marketing, to taking payments, managing the supply chain, order fulfilment, and returns.

    Up-and-coming Italian designer workout wear Gr1ps, and award-winning golf simulator OptiShot Golf are amongst the first Tigers eShop customers in China, Hong Kong, and Malaysia.

    “Tigers eShop offers a cost-effective, scalable enterprise solution for companies of all sizes,” said Andrew Jillings, chief executive officer and group managing director, Tigers.

    “We can provide fiscal representation to SMEs wanting to enter the China market that do not have a presence there.”

    “The logistics industry has the desire to adopt technology, but few providers are offering a real solution that ultimately services every e-commerce business.

    “Rather than being a one-size fits all, Tigers’ IT systems, which work on a cloud-based operating platform, are flexible enough to meet a large variety of demands.”

    Gr1ps, founded in 2011, designs innovative functional training products and has been recognised as a pioneer in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts apparel. “Tigers eShop forms a core part of our sales strategy in acquiring new clients in the Asia market, and increasing brand awareness and exposure through Tigers’ network,” said Katty Fung, chief operating officer, Gr1ps.

    “We look forward to bringing our brand values, of quality and attention to detail, to larger sports and lifestyle communities with this expansion.”

    OptiShot Golf is a golf simulator platform designed by two fans of the game, which allows players to practice and play on replicas of major championship courses, as well as play in global online tournaments, with real clubs and real golf balls.

    “China is an important market for us and the Tigers eShop is an exciting opportunity for us to grow our presence there,” said Kevin Johnston, president and chief operating officer (COO), OptiShot Golf.

    Tigers, which has been operational in Greater China since 1969, has 17 offices across the country and specialises in e-commerce fulfilment, transportation, and supply chain solutions.

    The Hong Kong headquartered supply chain specialist has 65 offices and 32 omni-distribution hubs across China, the USA, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia, Malaysia, India, and South Africa.

    Tigers plans to open more eShops across a number of strategic locations.

    “Tigers will continue to focus on our two main assets, our technology and our people,” said Jillings.

    “We are privileged to be working with exciting brands like Gr1ps and OptiShot Golf. They are both dynamic groups with great products and they embrace the online retail space.

    “There is always a learning curve working with companies like these.”

    Tigers can trace its founding origins back to 1888 in the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa, where their South African subsidiary was first founded.

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  • China Southern Airlines issues open invitation to brands

    China Southern Airlines issues open invitation to brands

    Li Jianhua, President and CEO, Guangzhou China Southern Airlines (CSN) Inflight Duty Free says it has enjoyed double-digit sales growth in recent years driven by innovation in its product portfolio as well as the introduction of duty free exclusives and a pre-order service.

    “We have redeveloped our products and pricing for specific buyer groups,” said Jiianhua. “But we still need more luxury brands to enter the market to appeal to a new generation of consumers in China.”

    She also implored brand owners in the audience to come forward to begin conversations with CSN, whilst promoting the huge potential of the China inflight market.

    Jianhua charted the company’s rise to success to become ‘the largest airline in Asia by fleet and passengers’ as the carrier claims. Jiianhua highlighted that CSN launched its first inflight retail programme in 2001 and it very quickly began to play a very important role for the airline, not just from a customer engagement perspective, but from a revenue generation standpoint.

    She pointed out that the company wants to extend its global reach, identifying that Southeast Asia represents 31% of the company’s current route quota and with Japan & Korea accounting for 28%.

    She also pointed out that she believes the company has great potential, especially considering that Chinese overseas visitors reached 122m in 2016. As the company expands its route reach and takes advantage of the growing number of passengers Jianhua insists that inflight retail will be available on ‘every international flight’.

    Skincare represents 30% of China Southern’s inflight business.

    She noted that research from Fortune Character suggests that Chinese consumption continues, but has slowed down in recent years and high-end consumers now tend to make more ‘rational’ decisions.

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  • Top 30 Chinese global brands: Lenovo, Huwaei, Alibaba rank first

    Top 30 Chinese global brands: Lenovo, Huwaei, Alibaba rank first

    Lenovo is the most powerful Chinese global brand builder, followed by Huawei and Alibaba, according to new research released this week.
    The first “Brand Top 30 Chinese Global Brand Builders”, released by WPP and Kantar Millward Brown in collaboration with Google, said the personal computer and mobile technology firm is the most powerful Chinese export brand with a Brand Power score of 1,682. Lenovo was followed by consumer electronics brand Huawei (1,256) the e-commerce marketplace giant Alibaba (1,047).

    Kantar Millward Brown calculated the Brand Power (the BrandZ measure of consumer predisposition to choose a particular brand) of Chinese brands outside of China across seven countries, supported by research conducted using Google Surveys in September 2016, to find the ranking. The evaluation looked at 167 Chinese brands, the median Brand Power score of which is 85.

    The biggest find was how the Made in China brand is shifting. While established brands currently have an edge over the emerging internet-lead brands, with 57% of the total Brand Power in the ranking, digital brands were the biggest winner.

    Collectively, consumer electronics and mobile gaming lead the ranking, both in terms of the number of brands in the ranking (17) and combined Brand Power (59%). The result reflects the transformation of Chinese brands, which consumers abroad increasingly associate with innovative digital devices and services.

    One challenge facing Chinese brands is that international consumers are generally less aware of, and less likely to consider purchasing, a Chinese brand than a local or globally recognised one, said the research.

    However, awareness and consideration gaps vary, with consumers in France, Germany and Spain more aware of and likely to consider Chinese brands than consumers in Japan, Britain or America, said report authors.

    “The study shows that the movement of ideas and product leadership has expanded globally, with consumers increasingly looking to China as a potential source for the newest and most innovative products and brands,” said David Roth, CEO of EMEA & Asia, The Store WPP.

    “This is the opportune time for Chinese brands to expand abroad, despite the many obstacles and this is why in collaboration with Google we have produced the ground-breaking “BrandZ Top 30 Chinese Global Brand Builders 2017” report. By analysing consumer perceptions of Chinese and non-Chinese brands, we have been able to identify gaps in Chinese brand performance and provide recommendations for brand building strength.”

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  • Brandline – Bring Your Brands to Life

    Brandline – Bring Your Brands to Life

    Consumers are exposed to more than 3000 messages a day. The real question now is, what will make your brand stands out? As consumers only spend a few seconds in front of retailer shelf, are the in-store messages targeted properly and relevant? Hence, design solutions that boost the traffic and sales potential in retail environments are sorely needed.

    As the expert in merchandising and in-store communication, HL Display Thailand has the most innovative design and ideal solutions to create a more desirable shopping experience and brand awareness that includes

    • Creating a place where the consumers want to shop
    • Developing impulse buying and customer loyalty
    • Making differentiation from competition
    • Increasing basket size and footfall

    Communicate the brand values and product benefits with Brandline™, the collection of shelf liners, highlighters and accessories, specifically designed to create highly effective on-shelf communication and segmentation. Extending the message areas with additional accessories such as lighting is also reinforcing brand awareness and instantly adding positive disruption visually.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUECYwjKfjA

    Health and Beauty category for instance, is a category characterized by many new products introductions coupled to variety of pack sizes and shapes. State of the art message conveyer, cosmetic front rails, sample tester holder, lighting accessories are becoming a must have in store environment, and this is when Brandline™ becomes even more important than ever.

    For further information, Bangkok based HL Display Thailand can be directly contacted during office hour at +66 2276 2445 with the attention to Mr. Thanasun Sakchuenyod, or e-mail to thanasun.sakchuenyod@hl-display.com or info.asia@hl-display.com. Visit the company website at www.hl-display.com/asia

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  • Luxury Brands Advised to Reassess Physical Store Strategy

    Luxury Brands Advised to Reassess Physical Store Strategy

    Luxury brands looking to assess their global brick-and-mortar strategies would do well to remember it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach.

    A recent study by management consulting firm Boston Consulting Group and Bernstein research advises luxury labels to optimize existing physical locations, determine how best to cater to both tourists and locals, and consider streamlining stores in cases for which ecommerce would suffice.

    Looking at retail geographically, the report says some regions are oversaturated while others are ripe for expansion. For luxury brands with multiple stores in New York, Tokyo, London, Paris, Seoul and Hong Kong, the findings show retail is poised to remain strong, as tourists and locals support flagships and secondary locations, respectively.

    The report cautions against adding new doors in top Asian cities like Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Singapore and Taipei where there are already too many locations and the size of the footprints outstrip demand.

    For brands looking to expand, research shows that the U.S. is still a solid market. While luxury companies may find opportunities for new locations in key hubs, the focus in those cities should be on drawing more shoppers into stores, the report said. Opening new stores could be the best approach in second-tier cities where the local population could offer consistent traffic and sales. But first, it’s up to brands to determine which cities represent their best prospects.

    “Brands must continue to invest in the tools and techniques that help them get better and better at segmenting markets and uncovering pockets of demand,” said Oliver Abran, a partner and managing director at BCG’s Paris office and the global leader of the firm’s luxury, fashion and beauty topic area. “Analytics software can be invaluable but it still needs the talent to make it effective and the processes to properly gauge potential markets.”

  • Beauty brands add colour to dull retail scene

    Beauty brands add colour to dull retail scene

    Amid a soft retail scene, one segment has been bucking the trend: beauty products. In fact, beauty brands are growing their bricks- and-mortar presence here in and around Orchard Road.

    At least three international brands are expanding beyond department stores and multi-label beauty chain Sephora to establish standalone stores.

    French company Nars Cosmetics will open its first boutique in Ngee Ann City later this month, a spokesman told. The company’s products are currently available at Sephora, Tangs at Tang Plaza and Robinsons Orchard.

    The move follows double-digit year-on-year growth through its current channels, said the spokesman, and the standalone store will facilitate a multi-channel business model, including e-commerce.

    American brand Urban Decay, previously available only at Sephora, launched its first boutique in VivoCity in 2015 – also its first in the region. It now has stores in Bugis Junction and a flagship outlet in Ngee Ann City which opened last month. It said sales were “outperforming the market”.

    Sales of colour cosmetics here are expected to grow annually to reach more than this amount by 2020, up from an estimated $230.5 million for last year, according to Euromonitor International.

    Meanwhile, MAC Cosmetics, which has 12 stores in Singapore, opened its 1,980 sq ft flagship outlet in ION Orchard last month.

    American brand NYX Professional Makeup opened its first two boutiques in October and November in Bugis Junction and Plaza Singapura, with plans to open more.

    Sales of NYX products at Sephora outlets have more than doubled between 2015 and 2016, but standalone stores allow the company to showcase more products, said marketing manager Jerraine Lim.

    Ms Esther Ho, assistant director at Nanyang Polytechnic’s School of Business Management, said that challenging economic times create opportunities for brands as malls compete to fill the spaces vacated by other retailers.

    Vacancies for retail properties rose to 8.4 per cent at the end of the third quarter of last year – the highest level since the first quarter of 2011, according to data from the Urban Redevelopment Authority.

    “Rentals could be sufficiently depressed to attract new tenants such as Nars into the shopping malls,” said Ms Ho.

    Sales of colour cosmetics in Singapore are expected to grow annually to reach more than $278 million by 2020, up from an estimated $230.5 million for 2016, according to market research firm Euromonitor International.

    This comes even as retail sales, excluding motor vehicles, have fallen every month since February last year, with the latest government data estimating a fall of 0.3 per cent in October over the same period in 2015.

    Still, retail experts said cosmetics sales may be getting a boost as consumers trade big-ticket purchases for “small luxury” items such as expensive lipstick.

    Said Singapore Polytechnic senior retail lecturer Sarah Lim: “Shopping is psychological; the more you buy, the better you feel.”

    Cosmetics stores have an advantage as consumers like to try out products on their skin, while social media influencers help to boost sales by building hype, she added.

    Apart from touting a wider selection of products and exclusive collections, the new boutiques have also incorporated experiential elements.

    Nars’ store will feature a virtual try-on function and photo booth, while NYX’s two stores have interactive beauty bars for customers to follow make-up tutorials. Social media content is also integrated in NYX’s and Urban Decay’s stores.

    “Cosmetics stores are doing well in creating an experience for shoppers; other retailers should take note,” said Ms Lim.

    Healthcare worker Erin Baker, who spends up to $300 a month on cosmetics, said she is excited that more brands are opening boutiques here. “I like going into the store and trying on make-up, and boutiques have a nicer atmosphere and more personal and attentive service,” said the 27-year-old.

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  • Ansals Plaza announces grand opening of its key brands

    Ansals Plaza announces grand opening of its key brands

    Delhi’s first mall, Ansal Plaza, repositioned as Delhi’s ultimate Sports and F&B Destination, has opened its door to its two anchor brands, Decathlon, the global sports retail giant and The Arena, Ultra Luxury lounge. During a daylong celebration, Ansal Plaza hosted the grand opening of one of India’s biggest two level Decathlon Khel Gaon store, which is equipped with smart LED screens and open space for sports activities. Agala evening party was also organized to announce the grand launch of The Arena.

    With a bagful of new and unique sporting events like Capoeria (Afro Brazilian marital arts), Blind Cricket, Free motion Ski, Basketball and Zumba , the Grand opening of the Decathlon Khel Gaon store at Ansal Plaza promises to be an exciting affair for the sports enthusiasts of Delhi. A unique costume run for kids and five to 10 km run for adults was also scheduled as a part of Decathlon Khel Gaon store’s Opening Run on Sunday, December 4, 2016.

    The Arena with approx. 13000 sq. feet extravaganza spread across two levels with indoor and outdoor party areas, private and VIP event space, great ambience and a fully stocked up bar. With a great dance floor, superior customer service and exceptional pricing The Arena is another wonderful reason to visit Ansal Plaza.

    Talking about the two grand openings on Saturday, Amit Phull, Head Retail Ansal API said, “We identified that sports shopping experience is one of the niches that lacks in other South Delhi malls and the event and experience that Ansal Plaza offers will help us live up to our promise of being the ultimate sports hub of Delhi. Also, the launch of The Arena along with other premium F&B Brands will help us in establishing the mall as an ultimate destination for various kinds of world cuisine.”

    Caroline Mulliez of Decathlon said, “We are proud to be associated with Ansal Plaza. The strategic location offers the best catchment of sports enthusiast and its vast open space also supports what Decathlon stands for, which is sporty fun at exceptionally affordable prices.”

    Mukul Bajaj, Co-founder, The Arena, said, “We are excited about the launch. We are definite that the prime location of Ansal Plaza at the heart of the city will draw the kind of patrons The Arena is looking for.”

    Sahil Madaan, Owner, Taksim, “Trends meet chic in our very own of serving world cuisine. Taksim, with its International concept offering fusion Turkish and Indian cuisine, is trying to find a balance between a cafe and a restro bar.”

    Ansal Plaza has been the hub of entertainment in Delhi since 1999 as the city’s first mall. With its prime location, excellent parking facility and vast green space, Ansal Plaza promises to continue the tradition of excitement and celebration in its new avatar.

  • Kantar unveils a new corporate identity across its operating brands

    Kantar unveils a new corporate identity across its operating brands

    Kantar today launches a new corporate identity, for the parent brand and its 12-strong family of operating brands, designed to create a much more unified look and feel across the whole business.

    The new identity, developed in close collaboration with WPP branding specialists The Partners, will be rolled out across all external and internal communications channels in the coming months.

    Operating brands not previously Kantar-branded will now take a Kantar prefix and a new, common typeface. For example: TNS and Millward Brown now become Kantar TNS and Kantar Millward Brown just like Kantar Worldpanel. The only exception is Lightspeed GMI, which now rebrands as Lightspeed.

    Along with the rebranding, Kantar is introducing a new tagline, “Inspiration for an extraordinary world”, drawn from its new corporate purpose statement, “To inspire our clients, our people and society to create and flourish in an extraordinary world.”

    Kantar’s new identity reflects and externalises an on-going change programme that started in January. The programme includes the fostering and rewarding of much greater collaboration between operating brands and the creation of a new insights group through much closer alignment of the company’s custom brands. In addition, global operations capabilities have been brought together into a single entity and the company is moving towards more aligned shared services in HR, finance and IT. We will shortly be adding to our portfolio of expert brands with the launch of Kantar Public, uniting our global expertise in governmental and public policy work; and Kantar Consulting, which will draw expertise from several of our brands to provide a full and broader range of marketing and sales consulting solutions and capabilities to our clients.

    Kantar CEO Eric Salama commented: “The rebranding is a tangible, visible expression of our desire to present clients with more easily-navigable and connected solutions that bring together the best of Kantar’s expertise.

    “We believe our clients and partners have started to experience the benefit of this approach – in more rounded, detailed and holistic research and recommendations. And it is helpful that for the first time we really look like a single family of brands serving a common purpose.”

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